When liberals paint a picture of those who defend the Confederate Flag, they only use one shade of tint. And while it’s true that white Americans are far more likely to support the Stars and Bars than blacks, at least one man stands out amongst the masses. His name is Al McCray, and he is one of the only black members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

“I understand the true nature of the war, and slavery was not the primary issue,” McCray told the Associated Press. “It was an issue of northern aggression and northern imperialism.”

McCray is a standout not only because of the color of his skin but because he didn’t have any ancestors who actually fought in the Confederacy. In fact, McCray’s ancestors were slaves themselves. He was permitted to join the group because the other Sons respected his viewpoint as well as his encyclopedic knowledge of the Civil War.

“He’s educated us on a lot of issues on the black community and opened doors for us, getting us on black radio stations and in good community conversations,” said fellow Sons member Phil Walters. “You don’t see a lot of diversity in these southern groups, but everyone and anyone is welcome. But if you’re a skinhead or come in with a white robe over your face, we’ll tell you to get lost.”

McCray’s stance on the Confederacy has put him at odds with the black community, especially in the wake of the Charleston church shootings that left nine innocent people dead. But the 63-year-old doesn’t see the connection. “I’ve always felt that way growing up in the south, that linking the flag to slavery and racism was just another way to keep division between the races,” McCray said. “I always wondered why Lincoln didn’t free the slaves his first day in office if he felt so strongly about it.”

McCray is one of the few African-Americans willing to swim against the tide. That makes him a nightmare for liberals for whom identity politics is a way of life. They have no ideas or arguments; they have only categories. When someone dares to cross the categorical lines, they can only shake their heads in disbelief. Few things are as pathetic as a white liberal telling a black conservative that he’s wrong, and they are well aware of how foolish they look when they try. That’s why they do everything they can to avoid that unpleasant scenario.

In the wake of the church shooting, we were told it was time for another of the left’s famous National Dialogues. These dialogues are, of course, nothing of the kind. The mainstream media tells us what to think, only highlighting the most extreme and kooky representations of the opposition. Everyone agrees with us, you see! Only racist inbred idiots believe otherwise!

Well, Al McCray is not such an idiot. That’s why you’re unlikely to see him on the nightly news. We’ll just sweep him and other inconvenient outliers under the bed. Liberals don’t need everyone to agree; they just need to make sure that those who don’t steer clear of the spotlight. Sometimes the illusion of a consensus is enough.